The invention generally relates to devices used to visualize internal body parts in medical applications and, more particularly, the invention relates to ultrasound devices used to visualize internal body parts in medical applications.
A variety of different technologies have been developed over the years to give medical professionals a window into the human and animal bodies. Consequently, these technologies have become valuable tools to more effectively diagnose and treat disease. One such technology uses ultrasonic waves, which, in simplified terms, uses sound waves to gather information about internal body structures.
Ultrasonic devices currently are used in a wide variety of applications, ranging from visualization of a fetus to measuring the thickness of lesions and/or muscles lining the surface of the gastrointestinal tract (xe2x80x9cGI tractxe2x80x9d). When used within the GI tract, a probe typically is inserted through a person""s esophagus and secured to the muscles lining the GI tract. From within the GI tract, the probe gathers information relating to lesion and/or muscle thickness, which is correlated by an external computer based system into a static graphical display.
Many GI tract disorders, however, are not caused by lesions. Instead, many such disorders are caused by improper movement of the muscles lining the GI tract (i.e., this type of disorder is a functional disorder). The art has responded to this problem by developing a number of techniques that indirectly measure GI tract muscle movement. More particularly, such current techniques measure some quality of the GI tract, and use the measured data to calculate information relating GI tract muscle movement. For example, one technique measures pH in the GI tract by inserting a long catheter through a person""s nose to measure acidity changes over a 24 hour period. Another technique tests pressure within the GI tract by placing balloons at different locations within the GI tract. Both techniques collect data that is used to make an educated guess about the movement of muscles lining the GI tract.
Accordingly, as suggested above, current GI tract investigation techniques generally are uncomfortable to the patient because they require a rather invasive procedure for relatively long periods of time. In addition, long procedures increase diagnosis and treatment costs. Moreover, because current GI tract investigation techniques make indirect measurements, by their very nature they can produce erratic and inconclusive results.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a system for producing a motion picture representing the movement of muscle lining a body channel includes a probe to be inserted in the channel, and a control unit to receive ultrasonic energy from the probe. More specifically, the probe has a transceiver capable of transmitting ultrasonic energy toward the muscle when within the body channel. The transmitted ultrasonic energy has a focal zone to primarily focus on a pre-specified layer of the muscle. The transmitted ultrasonic energy produces reflected ultrasonic energy (from the muscle) that the transceiver is capable of receiving. The control unit, which is in communication with the probe to receive the reflected ultrasonic energy, is capable of producing a motion picture signal representing the movement of the muscle. The motion picture signal is based on the reflected ultrasonic energy.
In illustrative embodiments, the transceiver includes a portion capable of receiving the reflected energy, and a portion capable of transmitting the ultrasonic energy toward the muscle. The reflected energy includes low velocity and high velocity signals. The control unit thus includes a low pass filter for filtering out the high velocity signals. The low velocity signals are no greater than about ten centimeters per second.
The transceiver may transmit ultrasonic energy having frequencies of between about 12 and 30 megahertz. In some embodiments, the frequencies range from 15-20 megahertz. The probe further may include a medium container through which the ultrasonic energy is transmitted. In addition, at least a portion of the transmitted ultrasonic energy has a focal length that is no greater than about five centimeters. The control unit also may include an output for delivering the motion picture signals. In many embodiments, the channel includes one of the gastrointestinal tract and the genitourinary tract.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an apparatus produces a motion picture signal representing the movement of muscle lining a body channel. The body channel has a probe inserted therein to capture images of the movement. The apparatus thus includes a signal generator for producing an output signal that causes the probe to output an initial ultrasound signal with a given frequency. The given frequency provides a focal length for primarily focusing the initial ultrasonic signal on the muscle when the probe is within the body channel. The apparatus also includes an output operatively coupled with the signal generator. The output is capable of delivering the output signal to the probe. The focal length and transmitting frequency could be adjusted to optimize the image. In addition, the apparatus further includes a receiver capable of receiving a reflected ultrasonic signal from the probe, and a motion picture module operatively coupled with the receiver. The reflected ultrasonic signal is produced by the initial ultrasonic signal reflecting from the muscle. The motion picture module is capable of producing the motion picture signal representing the movement of the muscle. The motion picture is produced based on the reflected ultrasonic signal.
In some embodiments, the apparatus also includes an amplifier operatively coupled to the receiver, where the amplifier is capable of amplifying the reflected ultrasonic signal. The apparatus further may include a motion picture port operatively coupled with the motion picture module. The motion picture port is capable of transmitting the motion picture signal. The motion picture can be frozen and saved as a snapshot. The vector velocity of a layer of interest could be color coded and displayed.
Illustrative embodiments of the invention are implemented as a computer program product having a computer usable medium with computer readable program code thereon. The computer readable code may be read and utilized by a computer system in accordance with conventional processes.